1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to filing systems generally and more particularly to desk top card files.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Card filing systems have been routinely employed for information storage and retrieval purposes in office environments. Typically card filing systems have been used for storing lists of names, addresses and telephone numbers of accounts, associates and the like.
While computerized information storage and retrieval systems have revolutionized office procedures by enabling information to be stored in machine readable format on a memory device such as a disk, tape or other medium, information retrieval required at least a keyboard and a screen. Such equipment usually occupied more space than a conventional desk top file. Further, the utilization of a terminal to retrieve only an address and/or telephone number, for example, often took more time and skill than that required to obtain such information from an alphabetized card file. In addition, to obtain such information from a memory required diverting computer time from other tasks. As a result of such shortcomings, conventional card filing systems restained popular in the face of advancing office automation through computer technology.
Among the problems encountered with prior card file systems have been the lack of capacity for increased card storage without providing a large card carrying structure. Also, many card file users experienced difficulty in viewing or accessing desired cards when card files did carry cards to capacity. Separation of cards for speedy access of desired information was of paramount significance and prior files lacked the ability and versatility to facilitate such separation when large numbers of cards were carried. Prior card files also lacked the ability to utilize reduced desk top space when not being accessed.